The geometric plans of cities in Catalonia (1846-1859)

Abstract

On July 25, 1846, a royal order was approved establishing that municipalities with large population centers had to make a geometric plane at 1: 1 250 scale. It should include also a general plan of street and places alignments. This liberal normative, which was an adaptation of the Napoleonic Law of alignment plans of 1807, gave rise to the first general urban documents of the nineteenth century and to an interesting urban cartography. This article explains the cartographic impact in Catalonia of this norm, which was in effect until the end of 1859. It has been possible to locate and catalog 14 geometric plans of cities, of which only four met all the requirements stipulated on the royal order. Despite this, its realization constitutes a relevant chapter in the history of contemporary urban cartography of Catalonia.

Key words: history of urban cartography, urban geography, history of urban planning,

Catalonia.